May 27 – Bhagavadgita Chapter 7; Verses 7.01-7.02 (Day 148) The Yoga of Wisdom and Realization (Jnana Vignana Yoga)

 Chapter 7 – The Yoga of Wisdom and Realisation

(Jnana Yoga)

अथ सप्तमोऽध्यायः ।   ज्ञानविज्ञानयोगः 

CHAPTER 7

Lesson 7.1 (Verses 1-12)

Lord’s Infinite Attributes

May 27– Day 148

Verse 7.01-7.02

श्रीभगवानुवाच ।

मय्यासक्तमनाः पार्थ योगं युञ्जन्मदाश्रयः ।

असंशयं समग्रं मां यथा ज्ञास्यसि तच्छृणु ॥ ७-१॥ 

Śhrī Bhagavān uvācha
mayyāsakta-manāḥ pārtha yogaṁ yuñjan mad-āśhrayaḥ
asanśhayaṁ samagraṁ māṁ yathā jñāsyasi tach chhṛiṇu (7.1) 

ஶ்ரீப⁴க³வானுவாச¹ |
மய்யாஸக்¹த¹மனா: பா¹ர்த² யோக³ம் யுஞ்ஜன்மதா³ஶ்ரய: |
அஸந்ஶயம் ஸமக்³ரம் மாம் யதா² ஞாஸ்யஸி த¹ச்¹ச்²ருணு || 7.1 || 

1. O Arjuna, hear how you shall without doubt know Me fully, with the mind intent on Me, practicing Yoga and taking refuge in Me! 

Commentary: He who wishes to attain some result or reward performs the ritual known as Agnihotra or does charity, sinks wells, builds hospitals, resting places, etc., with Sakama Bhavana (with an inner profit motive) and attains them. But the Yogi on the contrary practices Yoga with a steadfast mind and takes refuge in the Lord alone, with the mind wholly fixed on Him, on His lofty attributes such as omnipotence, omniscience, omnipresence, infinite love, beauty, grace, strength, mercy, inexhaustible wealth, ineffable splendor, pristine glory and purity.

The servant of a kind, though he constantly serves the king, has not got his mind fixed on him.  The mind is ever fixed on his wife and children.  Unlike the servant, fix your mind on Me, (the all-pervading One), and take refuge in Me alone.  Practice control of the mind in accordance with the instructions given in chapter VI.  Then you will know Me and My infinite attributes in full.

If you sing the glory and the attributes of the Lord, you will develop love for Him and then your mind will be ever fixed on Him. Intense love for the Lord is real devotion. With this you must surely get full knowledge of the Self without any doubt.

He who has taken refuge in the Lord, and he who is trying to fix or has fixed his mind on the Lord cannot bear the separation from the Lord even for a second. 

 

ज्ञानं तेऽहं सविज्ञानमिदं वक्ष्याम्यशेषतः ।

यज्ज्ञात्वा नेह भूयोऽन्यज्ज्ञातव्यमवशिष्यते ॥ ७-२॥ 

jñānaṁ te ’haṁ sa-vijñānam idaṁ vakṣhyāmyaśheṣhataḥ
yaj jñātwā neha bhūyo ’nyaj jñātavyam avaśhiṣhyate (7.2) 

ஞானம் தே¹‌ஹம் ஸவிஞ்ஞானமித³ம் வக்ஷ்யாம்யஶேஷத¹: |
யஜ்ஞ்ஞாத்¹வா நேஹ பூ⁴யோ‌ன்யஜ்ஞாத¹வ்யமவஶிஷ்யதே¹ ||7.2|| 

2. I shall declare to thee in full this knowledge combined with direct realization, after knowing which nothing more here remains to be known. 

Commentary: Jnanam is Paroksha Jnanam or indirect knowledge of Brahman obtained through the study of the Upanishads.  Vijnanam is Visesha Jnanam, i.e., Aparoksha Jnanam obtained through direct Self-realization (intuitional wisdom).

In this verse the Lord praises knowledge in order to make Arjuna follow His instruction closely with rapt attention, faith and interest.  The Lord says, “I shall teach thee in full.  You will attain to omniscience or perfect knowledge of the Self, after knowing which nothing more remains to be known here.”  If anyone attains the knowledge of the Self, he will know everything.  That is the reason why Saunaka, the great householder, approached Angirasa respectfully and asked: “What is that, O Lord, which being known all this becomes known?” (Cf. XIII. 11) 

Commentary by Swami Venkatesananda (verses 1-2)

The scriptures are full of knowledge and wisdom garnered from direct, intuitive, inner experience. The masters can impart knowledge to you and lead you to the threshold of the highest experience, saving you from pitfalls and inspiring you at every step. However, the great sage Vasiṣṭha says: “Enlightenment is not reached by resorting to a teacher or a teaching; but it is not had without them.” The teacher and the teaching act as catalysts, their purpose is unknown. They are necessary, but not to be dependent upon.

We ourselves should be intent on God-realisation, on the practice of yoga. We shall have to equip ourselves with the four means to salvation: discrimination, dispassion, virtues conducive to tranquillity of the mind and an intense yearning for God.

Knowledge of God is beyond the mind and intellect. It must be devoutly and lovingly received by the heart. This wisdom is not something which can be gained merely by studying or listening to discourses. It is not in words, nor in concepts. But, unless the mind is calm and the intellect open, that knowledge cannot gain admission into the inner chambers of our being. And unless the heart is pure, free from passions, attractions, selfishness and worldly pursuits, it will not receive the knowledge. Only the pure heart is ‘intent on God’.

How are we to ensure these receptive conditions? There is only one aid here – satsang or constant association with the wise, the devout and other spiritual seekers. Study of their works also constitutes satsang. Frequent gatherings to talk about God and yoga, to contemplate the nature of the world and life, to meditate upon God and thus to acquire a reassessment of values, are a great help, too. However, these must awaken us from our slumber of ignorance, keeping us vigilantly watchful of the mind and aware of the sorrow that thought-process is. 

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